Code key cutting machine



' Aug. 22, 1933. A. H. ROOS 1,923,164

CODE KEY CUTTING MACHINE Filed Feb. 17. 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig.6

INVENTOR A-HROOS ATTO R N EY Aug. 22, A 005 CODE KEY CUTTING MACHINEFiled Feb. 17. 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 =17 Wmmr/mmrmm W INVENTOR A.HR 008Patented Aug. 22, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 6 Claims.

This invention relates to key cutting machines, and particularly to oneof that character, by meansof which keys are cut from their code datawhen thepattern key is not available.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a machine ofthis character so arranged that a key may be easily and accurately cut,and in which the extent of the different adjustnients or movements ofthe key supportingcarriageare controlled by factory made gauge elements.The gauge features of these elements are precalculated, and areindividual to the different keys, and the operator never has tocalculate the setting or adjusting of any part in order to properlycontrol the movement of the carriage. This machine may, therefore, besuccessfully operated by persons who may not be expert mechanics.

A further object of the invention is to arrange the machine so that uponreplacing certain parts with others, the machine may be used for keyduplicating purpose.

A further object of the invention is to produce a simple and inexpensivedevice and yet one which will be exceedingly effective for the purposefor which it is designed.

These objectsI accomplish by means of such structure and relativearrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the followingspecification and claims.

In'the drawings similar characters of reference indicate correspondingparts in the several views:

Fig. lis a top plan View of my improved key cutting machine.

. Fig. 2 is ,atransverse section on line 22 of Fig. l. 1 i

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary top plan view of the machine as arranged with agauge device to cut to a single code only. v

Fig. 4 is a similar view showing the machine as arranged for keyduplicating purpose;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the single-code and key duplicatinggauge element.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the depth control block for one code.

Referring now more particularly to the characters of reference on thedrawingsthe numeral 1 denotes the rectangular base of the machine, onwhich toward the back and right-hand side are longitudinally spaced andupstanding hearing bosses 2. Turnable in ball-bearings, (not shown)supported in the bosses, is a shaft 3, on which between said bosses is alargeand small pulley unit 4. One pulley is engaged by a drive thespindle.

belt 5, which is itself connected to and driven by any suitable sourceof power. On the inner end of the shaft is a removable rotary cutter 6,of the usual beveled-face type used in key cutting. Upstanding from thebase in front of the shaft and toward the left-hand side of the saidbase, are rails '7, which are disposed parallel to each and at rightangles to the plane. of the shaft. Slide bars 8 are engaged with theouter faces of the rails, said bars being connected together to form arigid unit by a flat plate 9. 0 The front and back edges of the plateare parallel to each other and to the shaft, and form guides forsupporting engagement with the side rails 10 of a carriage 11. Thiscarriage, therefore, may move lengthwise of the base on the plate 9, orit may move transversely of the base or lengthwise of the rails 7.

Mounted on the carriage in facing relation to ie front edge of thecutter is a key clamping block 12, which is preferably of the samecharacter as that shown in my Patent, No. 1,746,499, dated February11th, 1930. Also mounted on the carriage toward the opposite side isanother removably mounted block 13, from which a horizontal pin 14projects at right angles to the piane of the shaft 3. Removably mountedon and upstanding from the base back of the carriage is a block 15, inwhich a spindle 16 is clamped for longitudinal adjustment. This spindleis parallel to the shaft 3 and is on a level with the pin 14. Outwardlyof the block thespindle carries spaced disks 17, which form thesupporting means for a cylinder 18. This cylinder is turnably andremovably mounted on the disks and is held in position thereon byaclamping screw 19, mounted on the outer end of The cylinder is providedwith a plurality of different circumferentially spaced andlongitudinally extending rows of holes 20. Each' row governs the spacingof the notches in a certain key and has an identifying numbercorresponding to that on the code card of the particular key as put outby the factory. To control the depth to whichthe key notches will becut, I provide the following arrangement:

Projecting upwardly from the base in front of the carriage and centeredbetween the rails 7 is a boss 21,111 which a horizontal shaft 22 isslidably but removably mounted. This shaft, which is disposed parallelto the rails '7, or at right angles to the shaft 3, is on a level belowthat of the plate 9 and the carriage. The shaft projects rearwardlybeyond the'boss a certain distance and on its rear end is, provided witha head 23, adapted to engage a plate 24 depending from the carriage soas to limit the movement of the carriage toward the shaft 3 and thecutter. A cylindrical block 25 is removably and turnably mounted on theouter end of the spindle, said block on its face nearest the bosseshaving a plurality of circumferentially spaced depressions or sockets26. These sockets are of different depths and govern the depth of thekey notches to be cut as determined by the code of particular key.

-A longitudinally adjustable pin 27 is mounted in the base parallel tothe spindle and projects outwardly from said base for engagement withone of the sockets 26, depending on the rota on of the block. A spring28 on the SDllldlbCt-\VTl the head and the boss acts to hold the bio-cl:engaged with the pin.

In connection with the forgoing .rip""' the operation of the machine tocut a key will be generally self-evident. lhe key blank is clamped inthe block 12, and is definitely lo" cated by a gauge member 30 pivotedon the block. When the key is thus positioned the carriage is movedalong the member 9 so that the cutter is at one end or the other of thekey, the pin 14 is then in line with one of the end-most holes 20 in therow corresponding to the particular code being used. The carriage isthen advanced toward the cylinder so that the pin engages such hole; theblock 25 is initially set to engage the pin 27with that socket 26 whichwill govern the of the end-most notch of the key, as determined by codecard. Since the depth of the socket when engaged by the pin determinesthe position oi the head 23, it also determines the distance thecarriage may be moved toward the edge of the cutter and consequentlygoverns the depth oi the notch to be made by the cutt first notch hasbeen cut, the. c Maw 11$ drawn from the cutter and shifted laterallyative thereto, so that the pin will enter the 11 hole 20. The block 25is also pulled has clear the pin 27 and is rotated so that said willenter the next socket according to the structions on the code card. Thesame operations are then repeated until all the key notches have beenout.

If the next key to be cut is of another code, the cylinder 18 isreadjusted to line up the corresponding row of holes with the pin 14,and the block 25 is replaced by another having the necessarysocket'arrangeinent to correspond to the particular code being used. Itis here to be noted that the necessary supply of drilled cylinders 18and blocks 25 are supplied by the factory along with or as accessoriesto the machine, and the necessary accurate gauging of the spacing of theholes and the depth of the sockets is to be taken care of at thefactory.

By reason of the adjustment of the spindle l6 and its bearing, thecylinder may be correspondingly adjusted to compensate for any slightdifference in the width of the cutter, such asmay be obtained whencutters changed. Similarly adjustment of the pin .27 allows the advanceof the carriage, irrespective of the depth of the sockets 26, to beadjusted to compensate for slight variations in the diameter of thecutter.

If the machine is used for cutting keys to a single code only, thearrangement shown in 3, 4, and 5 is used. In this case the block 15 andthe cylinder 16 are removed, the block 15 being replaced by anothersupporting block 31 disposed directly back of the block 13. Invertedlymounted in this block is a spindle 32, which is parallel to the pin 14and is held against rotation from either position by a set-screw 33 inthe block 31, engaging either one of opposed grooves 34 out along thespindle. The forward end of the spindle carries a flat cross-head 35,which is provided with a single row of holes 36 to be engaged by the pin14, and being spaced according to the requirements of the particularcode of the keys to be out.

If the machine is to be used for a key dupli eating purpose, the block13 is removed and is replaced by a block 12a, which is of the samenature as the block 12, or so as to support the key 37 to be duplicated.The spindle 32 is then inverted in position, since in connection withthe head 35 but in opposed relation thereto, a notch locating andgauging element 38 is formed. This element is also taper form in plan,or so that it corresponds to the cross-sectional shape of the rotarycutter. Said element and the head 35 are so arranged relative to thespindle 32 that when the spindle is turned so that the head isupper-most, said head will align with the pin 14; and when the spindleis inverted the gauge element 38 will be aligned with the key 37. Saidelement is also positioned so that it disposed in the same relation tothe 135 key 37 as the cutter 6 is to the key blank 29a to be cut.

In order to accurately adjust the setting of the 01-21 ient 38 relativeto the cutter, a set-screw 39 is mounted in the rear end of the block 31in alignment with and bearing against the adjacent end of the spindle32. A lateral set-screw 40 in the block 31 acts to hold the set-screw 39undesired movement after it has been once set to position.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that I haveproduced such a device substantially fulfills the objects of theinvention as set forth herein. 1

While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferredconstruction of the device, still in practice such deviations from suchdetail may be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit ofthe invention, as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention What I claim as new and useful anddesire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A code key-cutting machine comprising a base, a rotary cutter mountedthereon with its axis horizontal, a carriage mounted in connection withthe base for movement both parallel and at right angles to the axis ofthe cutter independently, a key clamping block on the carriage, means onthe base to adjustably limitthe movement of the carriage at right anglestoward and from the cutter, a horizontal pin mounted on the carriage andextending at right angles to the axis of the cutter, and a membermounted on the base and provided with a row of holes extendinglengthwise of the axis of the cutter and on a level with the pin forselective engagement with the pin.

2. A code key-cutting machine comprising a base, a rotary cutter mountedthereon with its axis horizontal, a carriage mounted in connection withthe base for movement both parallel and at right angles to the axis ofthe cutter independently, a key clamping block on the carriage, means on'the base to adjustably limit the movement of the carriage at rightangles toward and from the cutter, a horizontal spindle disposed back ofthe carriage and extending at right angles to the axis of the cutter,means supporting the spindle from the base and in which said spindle isinvertedly mounted, a cross-head on the forward end of the spindle, andprovided with a row of holes arranged, when the spindle is in oneposition, to extend horizontally and parallel to the axis of the cutter,a key-notch engaging element on the forward end of the spindle arranged,when the spindle is inverted, to lie parallel to the cutter, a pin toengage the cross-head holes when the spindle is in said one position,removable means to mount the pin on the carriage, and removable means tosupport a key in connection with the carriage in position to engage saidelement when the spindle is in an inverted position.

3. A code key-cutting machine comprising a base, a rotary cutter mountedthereon with its axis horizontal, a carriage mounted in connection withthe base for free sliding movement both parallel and at right angles tothe axis of the cutter, a key clamping block on the carriage, means foradjustably gauging the movement of the carriage in a direction parallelto the axis 01' the cutter, a head for abutting engagement with thecarriage as the latter moves toward the axis of the cutter, and meansconnected to the head to selectively set the same at different locationsrelative to and in thepath of movement of the carriage toward the cutterto correspondingly alter such extent movement of the carriage. I

4. A code key-cutting machine comprising a base, a rotary cutter mountedthereon with its axis horizontal, a carriage mounted in connection withthe base for movement both parallel and at right angles to the axis ofthe cutter independently, a key clamping block on the carriage, meansfor adjustably gauging the movement of the carriage in a directionparallel to the axis of the cutter, a head for engagement with thecarriage as the latter moves toward the axis of the cutter, a horizontalspindle attached to the head and extending at right angles to the axisof the cutter, means slidably supporting the spindle from the base, andmeans applied to the spindle to selectively control the movement of thesame relative to the supporting means.

5. A code key-cutting machine comprising a base, a rotary cutter mountedthereon with its axis horizontal, a carriage mounted in connection withthe base for movement both parallel and at right angles to the axis ofthe cutter independently, a key clamping block on the carriage, meansfor adjustably gauging the movement of the carriage in a directionparallel to the axis of the cutter, a head for engagement with thecarriage as the latter moves toward the axis of the cutter, a horizontalspindle attached to the head and extending at right angles to the axisof the cutter, a boss on the base in which the spindle is slidablysupported, a block mounted'on the spindle outwardly of the boss, saidblock having a plurality of sockets in the face nearest the boss, saidsockets being of different depths and concentric with the spindle, and afixed pin parallel to the spindle projecting outwardly from the boss andadapted to engage any socket to the full depth thereof.

6. A key cutting machine comprising a base, a cutter mounted on thebase, a carriage mounted on the base, means to support a key on thecarriage, the carriage being movable at right angles to the cutting edgeof the cutter and parallel with the axis thereof to carry the key intoand out of engagement with the cutter,

means to adjust the limit of movement of the carriage toward the cutterwhereby to gauge the depth of the cut to be made in the key by thecutter, such adjusting means comprising a'stop on the base, a stop onthe carriage spaced from the first stop, the stops being adapted toengage each other when the desired limit of movement of the carriage isreached, and means to adjust the position of one of said stops relativeto the other.

AXEL H. ROOS.

